Means for rendering flexible strip material adhesive



March 24, 1936. T; R. GAUTIER MEANS FOR RENDERING FLEXIBLE STRIP MATERIAL ADHESIVE Filed Feb. '7, 1934 aai/13621.

Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR RENDERING FLEXIBLE STRIP MATERIAL ADHESIVE Application February 7, 1934, Serial N0. 710,105

9 Claims.

My present invention relates to so-called strip serving and to preparing and dispensing for use adhesive tape, labels and the like. More particularly it aims toprovide improved and simplied means for the application of liquid to such flexible strip material, whereby it is made adhesive and ready for application to a package, parcel or other article.

In the drawing illustrating by way of example certain embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing one form of the invention in cooperative association with a strip serving or tape dispensing machine;

Fig. 2 is. a plan of the device. at the left portion of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a partial, sectional view corresponding to portions of Fig. l but showing the device in its condition as during the application of liquidto the strip material or tape to be rendered adhesive;

Fig. 5 is a` detail View, upon an enlarged scale, corresponding to a portion of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of another form of strip guide in accordance with the invention.

My invention is susceptible of use in association with strip servers, tape dispensers, label moisteners and like machines of various constructions and modes of operation including wholly manual, semi-automatic, and full automatic machines and devices of the character mentioned. I have herein shown it for convenience in description in connection with a tape dispensing machine in which the strip material or tape is moved by .suitable feed means from a supply up to and past severing means and past moistening or adhesive applying means, to the point of delivery, with which machine the means of my invention particularly cooperates.

The forward portions of the side frames of the machineare indicated at I, these being connected by cross members or tie rods, one of which is seen at 3 near the front of the machine. The tape or strip material is conducted from a supply (not shown), generally in roll form, and positiened to be drawn upon. The tape is herein led forwardly over a guide roll 4 rotatably supported between the side frames, to a platform or feed table 5 across which it passes beneath an overlying guide or floating deflector 6. The feed tables and deflector 6 are slotted as at I for reception of cooperating peripheral portions of the lower feed wheel or roll 8 and of the upper feed wheel or roll 9. The lower rotary feed member or roll 8 is xed on a shaft I0 having bearings on the side frames I. The shaft I is operatively connected with suitable operating means, such as a manual lever or crank, or, if desired, may be motor driven.

The upper feed roll 9 is preferably mounted for bodily yielding movement toward and away from the lower roll, upon a floating shaft II vertically movable in guides on the side frames and urged into engagement with the lower roll, or with the strip material when the latter is present between the rolls, as by the spring I2 supported on a boss I3 on the adjacent side frame I. The fore arm of the spring bears upon the upper feed roll shaft II, and its rear portion is hooked over an appropriately located lug or the like I4 on the side frame. As illustrated the upper feed roll or member 9 comprises an outer annular strip-engaging portion freely rotatable on a ball bearing carrier I on the shaft II. It will be understood that rotation of the lower feed roll 8 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in the figures and as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, will cause the strip material, theleading portion of which has been inserted between the feed rolls, to be fed or advanced from its supply.

In advance of the described feed means is the strip or tape severing means, seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and herein comprising a fixed member or blade I6 and a movable blade I'I herein pivoted as at I8, Fig. 2, adjacent one end of the xed blade, the two severing elements being biased or urged flatwise toward each other' as by the coil spring I9. The movable blade normally lies below the path of the strip or tape, being moved to or retained in that position as by the coil spring 20, the upper end of which is secured to the blade operating link 2|, while its lower end is anchoredupon the side frame or other xed part.

Forwardly of the severing means the strip or tape encounters the liquid applying means of my present invention, which means is here claimed per se as well as in its novel cooperative combination with the strip serving mechanism such as above described by way of example. Said means comprises a reservoir or liquid receptacle 25 suitably supported, preferably removable, upon the side frames and herein upon the cross tie 3 previously mentioned and upon a lug 26 having a forwardly andA downwardly extended cam-like guide portion 21 for facilitating insertion of the reservoir into: operative position upon the machine. The reservoir is held against undesired vertical movement as by its rear lug 28 which is received below a fixed lug 29 on the adjacent side frame. The reservoir includes a top wall 30 at its front, preferably formed as a delivery table or the strip or tape, longitudinal ribs 3| being provided on the upper surface of this delivery table 30 to prevent adherence of the strip material. A filling apperture may be provided, herein in the top wall 30, as indicated at 32.

The liquid appler or moistener element proper, indicated as a whole by the numeral 33 and hereinafter referred to by the term brush, is a capillary device comprising a multiplicity of paralleled and grouped flexible elongated capillary members such as hairs, bristles or the like 34. The lower portions of the hairs or bristles are held in grouped relation by a suitable butt, ferrule or the like 35.

The described brush is set into the reservoir in inverted condition, on a seat such as the steps or the like 36, this seat and the received base of of the brush being formed to give the brush as a whole a forward inclination substantially as illustrated. The brush may be additionally supported at its front face as by the rib 31 at its lower portion and by the down-turned lip 38 at the rear edge of the reservoir top wall.

The strip material or tape advanced by the feed means, herein the feed rolls, and past the severing means, is guided at its under face, between the severing means and the brush as by the guide or the like 39 constituting in eiect a continuation of the main feed table or platform 5. The guide 39 as illustrated comprises a transverse strip extending between the side frames l and having end flanges, one of which is seen at 40, Fig. 1, whereby it is secured in position with respect to the tape path and the brush, as by the screw and nut connections 4|, 42, at the two sides of the machine. The rear edge of the guide 39 is preferably turned down as at 43 to receive the tape as 1t passes forwardly from the severing means, while its fore edge desirably is deflected upwardly as at 44, -extending into or substantially into contact with the rear face of the brush, to conduct the strip or tape accurately up to the latter.

In cooperation with the described feeding and guiding means and with the moistening element itself I have provided novel means for confining and guiding the tape, by engagement with its upper face, insuring passage of the tape across the brush in intimate moistening or liquid-applying contact with the latter. It will be understood that when the device is used in connection with previously gummed strip material, tape, labels and the like the reservoir contains water which the brush conducts to the gummed face of the material to be moistened, while in cases of ungummed material the reservoir may contain an adhesive liquid such as mucilage or the like, for similar conduct by the brush. Said means cooperating with the brush as herein illustrated comprises a plurality of narrow elongated wires or wire-like members, rods or bars 45 extending lengthwise the path of the tape, in general parallelism with it and with each other, and together constituting a guiding device in the nature of a grid or comb. These grid forming members or wires 45 are xedly supported, at least at their rear ends, which are here shown looped as at 46 and received in annular grooves 41 in a rear cross piece or bar 48 held between the side frames. The ends of the cross piece 48 are provided with aligned recesses pivotally receiving the inner ends of the rear pair of bolts or screws 42 previously mentioned, whereby the grid members 45 may be swung up as a unit, to expose the tape path when desired. In the form shown these members 45 are also supported and positioned at their front ends, where they are looped as seen at 49 for reception in annular grooves 50 in a front bar 5I.

For xedly but releasably positioning this front bar I it is herein provided with an axial pin 52 at each end adapted for reception in corresponding apertures near the front ends of a pair of resilient fingers 53, 53, one adjacent each side frame. These ngers 53 are anchored at their rear portions, herein by the same bolt and 'nut connections 4l, 42 previously referred to.

In the normal position of the parts the described grid-like upper guiding element or tape deector is stationarily positioned in the manner as illustrated. If it is desired to swing it upwardly, to give access to the brush and other underlying parts, it is necessary merely to press the spring ngers 53 outwardly until they clear the pins 52, whereupon the deflector as a whole may be swung back about the screws 42 as a pivot. When the deflector is swung down again, the fingers 53 being spread, the latter are readily snapped back over the pins 52, again locking the deector or upper guide in operative position.

While it has heretofore been proposed to employ capillary elements of various sorts as moisteners, including brushes of the hair or bristle type, Such prior devices have either had no overlying guide means, making it necessary to move the tape across the brush manually or otherwise and with a downward pull, or they have had overlying plates or other transverse members resting upon or standing in contact with the upper ends of the hairs or bristles, across the entire Width of the brush. Such plate-like devices or uninterrupted transverse guides, and particularly those which rest by gravity upon the brush, in the absence of tape, are open to the objection that they permanently deform and bend over the brush, causing extra wear on its bristles and soon giving the brush a permanent set in a deformed and inefficient condition, with the tendency shortly to destroy the inherent flexibility of its individual hairs or bristles. Hence the brush becomes rela tively rigid, particularly if it is not properly cared for and is allowed to accumulate gum or adhesive. But in accordance with my present invention I obtain the full benefit of an intimate and accurate guiding of the tape across the upper end of the brush while still allowing the hairs or bristles to stand substantially free and without the continuous pressure of a guide plate or the like upon them.

The narrow elongated members 45 comprised in the grid-like deector may be variously formed and proportioned from suitable wire, bar, strip or like stock, of various diameters and cross-sectional shapes. Preferably they are of such a dimension crosswise of the brush, that is, from side to side in Fig. 3, and are so spaced across the brush that they are readily received between the free upper ends of the hairs or bristles, the latter extending between and upwardly beyond the adjacent portions of the members 45, as clearly seen in Figs. l to 3 and in detail in Fig. 5. These members 45, depending on their size and material, may be relatively rigid, sufciently to form the supporting connection for the front bar 5i of the grid when the latter is swung back, or they may be of ner or relatively exible Wire or other material, in which case additional spacer quantity or film o1" liquid and objectionably apmeans or supporting connection may be provided between the two crofss members 48 and 5l, as in the form of Fig.V 6, to be described. Inveither case, the grid members are so constructed and mounted as to be capable of guiding the strip or tape in proper moistening relation with the brush and to retain their position against the pressure of the tape and of the brush, whether this is because of their inherent rigidity or of their manner of support.

In the particular form of Figs. l to 5, the wirelike members 45, in their cross-sectional shape, are of somewhat less extent transversely than vertically. They separate the hairs or bristles of the brush but slightly in their passage between them, allowing the extreme ends of the latter to close together or approach each other above said members. This eifect may be increased by the slightly tapering or oval cross-sectional shape as illustrated in Fig. 5. Hence all or substantially all of the hairs or bristles, in the absence of tape, are permitted to' stand in their normal unflexed condition, projecting into or across and slightly beyond the tape path. As they are not subject to the deforming action of overlying guiding means, their natural resiliency is retained unim-v paired.

In the operation of the device the tape o'r strip material advanced by the feed means is moved beneath the comb or grid-like deector, up to the brush. In its continued feeding movement the tape contacts and flexes forwardly the outer end portions of the hairs or bristles, substantially in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 4. Thus the advancing strip is placed under a yielding pressure by and between the brush and the overlying wirelike comb or grid, caused by the forward ilexure or deflection of the hairs or bristles and the inherent resiliency and tendency of the latter'to press back to or toward their normal unflexed position. This insures an extremely effective moistening or adhesive-rendering contact between the brush and the under face of the strip or tape, with an accurate but yielding engagement of the hairs or bristles with the latter. But despite this resilient moistening engagement the brush, as above stated, is left with its hairs or bristles undeformed and unexed during nonfeeding intervals, when no tape is present between the brush and the overlying deflector. It will also be noted that the described construction automatically imposes the necessity that this overlying deector or grid shall be in accurate, fixed relation to the tape path and the brush before a mo'istening relation with the brush is established. In other words, an operator, after releasing and swinging the deflector out of operative position, is forced to return it to its locked position illustrated in order to reestablish the tape-moistening condition of the parts. Unless deliberately returned to locked position, the deector will be held up by engagement of the pins 52 of the front bar 5| upon the top edges of the spring lingers 53. It is accordingly substantially impossible for the device to be operated with the grid deflector improperly positioned.

Another important advantage of the brush and grid moistening couple of my invention, as contrasted for example with the prior floating or other plate members in overlying contact with a moisture conductor, lies in its avoidance of the application of any substantial quantity of liquid to the opposite or upper face of the tape. Even With the heavier constructions of my grid members 45, they do not collect or hold any material ply it to the ungummed, top or back face of the tape, the face which it isnot desired to meisten orrender adhesive. I have found that plates such as previously known, in addition to their deforming Ieffect on the brush, do commonly transfer a substantial and objectionable quantity of liquid to the upper or back face of the tape, by collecting a lm of water on the plate, during the absence of tape, and wiping it off onto the upper or back face of the tape as the tape is passed beneath the plate.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated another form of strip-guiding means, particularly for use in conjunction with a capillary moistener such as a brush. As previously referred to, the front and rear cross members 48a and 51a are in this instance interconnected by side straps 60, 66, which may be set on reduced portions 48b and 5th of said cross members respectively forming a frame for the grid element, apart from the elongated guide elements themselves, and so permitting of the use of relatively fine or flexible wire for the latter.

Y In said Fig. 6 the spaced, substantially parallel guide members 1lia are of wire, preferably copper,

- bronzed, or other non-corrosive character. As

there shown said members a are portions of a continuous wire wrapped longitudinally about the cross members i8a and 5Ia, `with the under runs of the wires disposed in substantially straight and parallel relation and the upper runs 45h slanting across from one end of one under run to the opposite end of the next adjacent under run.

The wire is desirably set in circumferential grooves in the cross members, to hold it in proper spaced relation in the successive runs. Its ends are anchored in any convenient manner as by soldering or tieing them as indicated at 45C, or if preferred the under runs, for cooperation with the brush and with the strip, or any desired number of them, may bev formed as separate wire pieces soldered or otherwise anchored.

In other respects the grid element, including the cross members and their manner of mounting on the machine or device, may be the same as in Figs. 1 to 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have there shown the reservoir constructed and arranged for the operative insertion of a heating unit, when desired, for warming the liquid, Whether water or an adhesive. For this purpose, the reservoir has at a convenient point, herein at one side, a boss 55 apertured to provide a threaded seat 56 for an electric heater unit such .as indicated at 51 by the dotted lines in said gures. When the heater is not required it mayr be removed and its seat closed by the removable screw plug 58 and packing 59. By removing the plug, the reservoir is immediately ready for the reception of a standard or other heater unit adapted to be threaded into and to close the seat 56.

My invention is not limited to the particular 'embodiments thereof herein shown and described,

its scope being pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gummed tape serving machine equipped with guide means for a length of tape advanced gummed face down for delivery from a supply, moisture applying means to render the under gummed face of the, tape adhesive, comprising a, reservoir for liquid, a brush received in the reservoir and having the free ends of its `level inwardly of the tip portion of hairs or bristles projecting upwardly from it, and a stationary grid-like tape deflector having portions extending, in the absence of the tape, between the ends of hairs or bristles of the brush, in the direction of tape movement, and at such time leaving the hairs or bristles free of exing or deforming pressure, said deflector adapted to guide the tape acrossthe brush in flexing relation with the upper ends of its hairs or bristles.

2. In a gummed tape serving machine equipped with guide means for a length of tape advanced for delivery from a supply, means for moistening the tape comprising a liquid reservoir, a brush having its butt end in the reservoir and its free end protruding from the latter, and a stationary grid element extending across the protruding end of the brush in the direction in which the tape is advanced, inwardly of the extreme end portion of the brush and in non-pressing relation with the latter in the absence of the tape, said grid element and brush adapted to receive and guide the tape between them, for moistening purposes.

3. Means for moistening gummed strip material, comprising a stationary support, a liquid reservoir thereon, a brush having one end received in the reservoir and the other end protruding, and a plurality of spaced wire-like members forming a strip guiding deflector at the protruding lend of the brush, said members of the deflector being positioned on said support at a the protruding brush end when no tape is present whereby at such time the brush is relieved of flexing or deforming pressure but must ex away from the deflector during moistening passage of the strip between the latter and the brush.

4. Liquid-applying means for strips of flexible material, comprising, in combination, a receptacle for liquid tobe applied to the strip, a brush set in the receptacle and having the free ends of its hairs or bristles projecting, guiding means affording a path for the strip to and across the rush, and a plurality of narrow elongated members lengthwise of and overlying the strip'path in the locality of the brush and positioned'to traverse the brush below the ends of its hairs or bristles, in the absence of the strip, said members adapted to cooperate with a strip moved below them to flex the brush hairs or bristles into yielding pressure engagement with the under face of the strip.

5. Means for rendering adhesive a strip of flexible material, comprising, in combination, strip guiding means providing a path for the strip, a reservoir for liquid, a liquid conducting element formed of a multiplicity of paralleled flexible capillary members, said element having one end in the reservoir and the other end protruding, and a, plurality of laterally spaced elongated guide members adjacent the protruding end of said conducting element, in general parallelism with the strip path and so disposed relative to said conducting element that in the absence of the strip the ends of said capillary members extend into the spaces between said guide members, whereby a strip moved along the reservoir side of said guide members effects flexing of the capillary members and is placed under yielding pressure between theA latter and said guide members, insuring effective contact of said capillary members withthe face of the strip to be rendered adhesive.

6. A liquid-applying device for strips of flex'-l ible material, comprising, in combination, a reservoir for liquid, an inverted brush of the hair or bristle type having the free ends of its hairs or bristles protruding from the reservoir, and a cooperating strip-guiding comb comprising a plurality of parallel wire-like elements, said elements being so positioned and of such cross-sectional size as to lie between end portions of hairs or bristles of the brush, in the absence of the strip, and being of suicient rigidity to guide the strip across and in contact with the brush, with attendant compulsory flexing of the hairs or bristles away from said elements.

'7. Means for rendering adhesive a strip of flexible material, comprising, in combination, strip guiding means providing a path for the strip, a reservoir for liquid, a capillary moistener having a portion in the reservoir and a portion protruding therefrom, and a plurality of laterally spaced elongated guide members adjacent the protruding portion of said moistener, said members cooperating with the moistener to define the path of a strip passed between them and the moistener.

8. A strip guiding element for cooperation with a flexible capillary moistener between which and said guiding element a strip or tape is to be passed in a strip serving or gummed tape dispensing machine, said element comprising a frame including front and rear cross members and longitudinal connecting members, and a plurality'of parallel, spaced longitudinal wire-like elements extending between and supported by said cross members, said elements constructed and arranged to permit portions of such moistener to extend into or beyond the strip path in the absence of a strip between the moistener and said elements, and being eifective to guide the strip by contact with the face of the strip opposite that to be engaged and moistened by the moistener.

9. In a gurnmed tape serving machine, in combination, a frame underlying guide means for the tape coming from a supported roll, feed means for advancing the tape along the guide means for delivery at the front of the machine, capillary moistening means underlying the tape path adjacent the delivery point, a tape deflector overlying the moistening means and having a fixed operative position wherein it is adapted to guide the tape across the moistening means so as to effect moistening relation between said means and the tape over the entire under face of the latter, said deector having at its rear portion,

behind the moistening means, a fixed pivotal support about which it may be swung upwardly and rearwardly on an axis extending transversely of the tape path thereby to expose the underlying portion of the tape path, an engaging member on the deflector, in front of its pivotal support, and an interengageable member on an adjacent stationary part of the machine, interengagement of said members serving positively to lock the deflector in its fixed operative position, said members being relatively movable to release the deflector for upward and rearward swinging thereof, and being so disposed that return of the deflector to its operative position necessitates said deector-locking interengagement of said members.

TREVOR R. GAUTIER. 

